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Configuring the Windows 7/VISTA/XP/2003 SNMP Agent for use with PowerChute Business Edition

Issue:
How to configure Windows 7/VISTA/XP/2003 SNMP Agent for use with PowerChute Business Edition

Product:
PowerChute Business Edition

Environment:
Windows 7/VISTA/XP/2003

Cause:
Informational

Solution:

In Windows XP and Windows 2003 click Start button, then go to Control Panel and run Add or Remove Programs. In the Add or Remove Programs window, click Add/Remove Windows Components to open Windows Components wizard.

In Windows 7 or Vista, click Start button, then go to Control Panel. Click on Programs And Features link and then click on Turn Windows features on or off. If you're prompted with User Account Control dialog, click "Continue".

In Components of Windows XP and 2003, click on the Management and Monitoring Tools (make sure that you do not select or clear, tick or untick its check box to change the existing selection), and then click Details.

Click OK. Also click Next if you're in Windows XP or 2003. SNMP service will be installed on the system. You may require to insert the Windows setup CD/DVD disc into optical drive.

SNMP will start automatically after installation. But it's recommended to verify the service status from Services in Control Panel, and if it's stopped, you can start the SNMP service from there.

Two new services will be created:

SNMP Service which is the main engine with agents that monitor the activity in the network devices and report the information to the monitoring console workstation.

SNMP Trap Service which receives trap messages generated by local or remote SNMP agents and forwards the messages to SNMP management programs running on this computer.

Windows doesn't assign any community string to the SNMP service by default, and also only allow access from localhost or local devices. Further configuration is needed to add in desired community string, which act as the password to grant reply to any SNMP request from remote system.

Configuring the Windows SNMP Agent for use with PowerChute Business Edition or PowerChute Plus with the PowerNet Agent:

1. Go to Control Panel->Administration Tools->Services->SNMP service. The following screen will appear. The startup type should be set to automatic.

2. Click on the Agent tab, make sure all service boxes are checked, enter any relevant contact information and location information here:

3. Click on the security tab, enter the appropriate read, and read-write community names to the accepted community names list. In the lower box, click "Accept SNMP packets from these hosts" and click the add button. The IP Address or Host Name of the ISX Central(or other NMS) should be entered. This will enhance security allowing only ISX Central or another NMS to access information via SNMP.

4. Click the Traps tab, and you can create your own trap community name and manually enter the IP Address of ISX Central(or other NMS) as a trap destination.

5.) Click "Apply". Following these configuration changes, it is best practice to verify the functionality of the software SNMP agent using a SNMP utility or network management system. Using an NMS or SNMP utility, query the OID .iso.org.dod.internet.mgmt.mib-2.system.sysDescr (.1.3.6.1.2.1.1.1) to verify the system description (note: this is a standard MIB-2 OID, no other MIB is required). The return string for a Intel/Microsoft SNMP agent should be something similar to: ""Hardware: x86 Family 6 Model 7 Stepping 3 AT/AT COMPATIBLE - Software: Windows 2000 Version 5.0 (Build 2195 Uniprocessor Free)"".

6.) Install PowerChute Business Edition. If PowerChute Business Edition was installed prior to this configuration, it is necessary to uninstall PowerChute Business Edition, reboot the machine, and then install the software. The SNMP agent MUST be properly installed and configured PRIOR to the installation of PowerChute Business Edition.